17 April 2006

Statement from the Leadership of the Republican Movement

THE Leadership of the Republican Movement extends fraternal greetings to members, supporters and friends throughout the world on this the historic 90th anniversary of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic. We send special greetings to our imprisoned comrades in Ireland and to prisoners throughout the world who are incarcerated because of their struggle for freedom and justice.

Since we last assembled twelve months ago we have witnessed the final act of treason by those who would have described themselves as Republicans. Irish Republicans throughout the world watched with total dismay at the declaration that their war was over for all time and at the destruction of all arms under their control which had been given to them to wage a war for the freedom of Ireland. The effect that these so-called Republicans were attempting to imply was that the struggle for national liberation was over permanently and that the IRA had been killed by its own leadership.

We have a message in response to this act of treason. The Irish Republican Army has declared that it is still very much alive in the form of the Continuity Irish Republican Army which remains active and dedicated to the achievement of Irish independence for however long this may take.

This Easter the Free Staters have attempted to hijack the Easter commemoration ceremonies, having ignored them for the past 35 years. It should be remembered that the heritage of 1916 belongs to all the people of Ireland. For their part, faithful Republicans have marked Easter each year in good times and in bad. Other elements, including some members of the media, have allied themselves completely with British Imperialism, saying that 1916 was unnecessary and condemning outright everything associated with the national struggle. Many politicians seek to besmirch the Republican Movement and rob it of its good name. The emergence of tiny groupings as rivals to the Movement only cause confusion and obscure the supreme issue facing the people, the unity and freedom of Ireland.

On the international scene we continue to see the mighty world powers, through sheer force and intimidation, take over weaker countries and terrorise their people. We send solidarity greetings to oppressed people throughout the world who are suffering from these superpowers.

We have noted with regret the public announcement that the struggle over so many decades of the Basque people for national liberation is at a permanent end. The involvement of the same forces that have been at work in Ireland, and especially of the Provisional leadership, in bringing about this outcome for a friendly people is to be deplored.

Ireland's national struggle, particularly since the 1916 Rising, has been admired and looked up to by subject peoples throughout the world who have been and are fighting colonialism. Now they receive the news of the collapse of the active struggle in Ireland, the acceptance of British rule and the voluntary destruction of arms. But the fight goes on.

On the home front we send greetings to the Rossport Five and to their families and supporters. We salute your courage in confronting this multinational company who have little regard for the welfare of local communities.

In recent weeks we have seen on the streets of Dublin how far removed those who profess to be in power are from the communities at local level. We saw how Free State ministers were so readily available to meet leaders of a loyalist organisation while refusing to meet with representatives of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings or the relatives of the Stardust tragedy. The Free Staters got their answer when the local community showed their resentment at what only could be described as an exercise of appeasement of their British masters. We urge Republicans throughout Ireland to start now and prepare for the next act of appeasement - the visit of the foreign Queen of England who claims jurisdiction over part of our country.

Faithful Republicans throughout Ireland have continued to feel the jackboot tactics of so-called forces of law and order on both sides of the Border and we urge our members to be at all times vigilant.

Now for the fourth time the English government is seeking to resurrect Stormont which was brought crashing down in 1972 by the people’s struggle under the leadership of the Republican Movement. Of course they now have the collaboration of former Republicans who have already administered English rule here and are prepared to police it by joining the British forces.

For eight years since the 1998 Agreement sought to copper-fasten Partition and British rule, they have failed in their efforts. Whether as 'shadow, interim or transitional', Stormont must be rejected.

The men and women of 1916, whose deed we honour today and every Easter ever since their Rising, set out clearly in the Proclamation of the Irish Republic what their objectives were. That noble document was read to you here. It required "a permanent National Government representative of the whole people of Ireland and elected by the suffrages of all her men and women".

Such a government was indeed elected in an act of self-determination by the whole Irish people acting as a unit in 1918 and established by the All-Ireland Dáil in 1919. A combination of British brutality and force and Irish weakness and treachery overthrew that 32-County government and suppressed it by the creations of a British Act of Parliament, Stormont and Leinster House. Any new-style Stormont must be brought down and replaced by an All-Ireland parliament. A new federation of the four provinces can best implement this and provide a just solution for minorities and majorities alike.

To secure the "civil and religious liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities" guaranteed in the Proclamation and sealed by the blood of the leaders and martyrs of the 1916 Rising, a Democratic Socialist Republic must be instituted.

Ninety years to the day since that momentous event in Irish history we renew these guarantees and pledge to strive might and main for those objectives. No collaboration with Imperialism and with British rule here - but straight through to Irish freedom and Irish national independence. An Phoblacht Abú!